Chapter 3798: Mahabrahma
In the Western Buddha Realm.
Buddha Lord Mahabrahma stood atop the Maha Golden Platform at the highest point of Maha Wuyasi Temple. Behind him was a golden temple shaped like a flame, before him an endless sea of clouds, and above his head a boundless starry sky.
In the starry sky, the Heavenly Court, the Shura Star Pillar Realm, and the World Tree confronted one another, their formed light and shadows so strikingly vivid.
The battle over ten thousand years ago had completely intensified the situation between the Heavenly Court Universe and the Hell Realm. The most powerful forces of both sides had gathered at the Starry Sky Defense Line, guarded by the Heavenly Venerable and defended by the All Heavens, with no signs of withdrawal to this day.
If not for major events like the emergence of the Thunder Clan and the exile of Fengdu Dadi, a truce for ten thousand years between the two sides would have been impossible.
With the destruction of the Thunder Clan, the balance had been broken once more. As long as there was a single spark, a divine war sweeping across the entire universe would be absolutely inevitable.
This was a situation even the Heavenly Venerable found difficult to control!
In recent years, major events had occurred one after another, conflicts growing increasingly fierce. Mahabrahma had already seen signs of renewed warfare and could not help but let out a long sigh.
"Hua!"
Behind Mahabrahma, at the top of the flame-shaped golden temple, spatial ripples appeared.
A figure entirely shrouded in black robes stepped out from the space.
The space here was so stable that even Divine Kings and Divine Venerables could hardly move freely through it, demonstrating the visitor's profound cultivation and mastery of space.
As if knowing who the visitor was, Mahabrahma remained unperturbed, forming the Demon-Subduing Seal with his hand and closing his eyes. "Why have you come?"
That black figure laughed. "The one in the Colorless Realm hopes you will act once more, to help her with one final task.
After this, you will owe her nothing!"
Mahabrahma seemed to be engaged in an inner struggle, silent for a long time before saying, "Speak!"
"Zhang Ruochen has left the Heavenly Court and returned to the Kunlun Realm.
Before that, he refined and killed Pina Yejia, obtaining the Paradise Realm. So that one speculates he will definitely make a trip to the Western Buddha Realm. When the time comes, she hopes Mahabrahma can make a move to keep him in the Western Buddha Realm."
The black figure said.
Mahabrahma said, "That is impossible! If I do that, Yunshen Daozhu will surely come knocking."
"Actually, keeping someone does not necessarily require a direct move. Since Zhang Ruochen has refined the Bright Mirror Platform, you can make a big issue out of it."
The black figure said.
Mahabrahma said, "Amitabha! This humble monk does not need anyone to instruct him on how to do things, and you, sir, do not have that qualification."
The black figure clasped his hands behind his back, walking on the carved beams at the top of the temple. "Does Mahabrahma truly see himself as a spotless, dust-free Buddha Lord and sage?
Have you forgotten the matter of a hundred thousand years ago?
Some things, once started, leave no path back."
Above the black figure's head, countless stars twinkled.
"Chi chi!"
The divine Qi released by these Star Soul Divine Thrones condensed into a golden handprint ten thousand miles long, constantly compressing the space, as if it would strike down at any moment.
The black figure was not afraid, but seeing Mahabrahma's will so firm, he took a step back. "It seems Mahabrahma truly fears Yunshen Daozhu! Very well, as long as you can keep the Paradise Realm and the Mani Pearl in Zhang Ruochen's hands, it will count as repaying the debt from back then."
"One wrong step, a thousand wrong steps.
There are no sages in the world, no good or evil in all things.
All beings are within the cage; a Buddha must save himself before saving others."
The black figure's voice grew increasingly ethereal.
Gradually, it vanished from this space, leaving no trace.
Only Mahabrahma remained standing by the sea of clouds, reciting unknown scriptures.
...
Beneath the Imperial Dust Palace, there was a massive black-and-white Taiji Four Symbols Diagram Seal, constantly leaping through space.
Every time it appeared, it crossed vast star regions.
Inside the main hall of the Imperial Dust Palace, the Sundial was placed at the very center.
Xiu Chen Heavenly God wore a floor-length white dress, constantly releasing Time Imprint light spots from her body, as if bathed in a rain of light. She had less killing aura and more ethereal agility.
Although her hair was tied up in a bun, she was cold and beautiful like ice, glancing sideways. "Breaking through to the Indestructible Infinite Realm? How could it be that simple? Have you broken through yourself?"
Zhang Ruochen sat at the highest position, studying the Dao Soul Platform. "The rules of heaven and earth are loosening. In this era, breaking through to Indestructible Infinite is much easier than before. You are an old Heavenly God, having lived longer than even the current Heavenly Venerable. How can you lack confidence in yourself?"
"Tell me, what resources do you want? I can provide them all."
With Xiu Chen Heavenly God's current cultivation, she could only support the training of cultivators below the Indestructible Infinite Realm, which was clearly insufficient.
If Zhang Ruochen wanted to catch up to the top-tier powerhouses of the universe in the shortest time, he still had to rely on her.
Otherwise, it would take at least hundreds of thousands of years.
How could he afford to wait that long?
"To break through to Indestructible Infinite, it is not something that can be achieved by relying on resources alone. However..." Xiu Chen Heavenly God said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Continue!"
Xiu Chen Heavenly God said, "If my physical body could walk the path of life-seeking of the Heavenly Court Stone Clan, I could cultivate to the Great Unbound Infinite Realm. At that time, the two intentions of life-seeking and death-seeking would merge, and the two bodies would fuse, likely allowing me to break into Indestructible Infinite in one go."
Zhang Ruochen nodded and asked, "Can Xiu Miaoli's cultivation of the life-seeking path reach the Great Unbound Infinite Realm?"
From the void, A Fuya's voice sounded from an unknown place. "It is quite difficult. There is no hope in the short term. She needs more experience."
"What she lacks is an Indestructible-level spiritual will. She could go to the Saha World to train."
Xiu Chen Heavenly God said.
"Don't worry! This trip to the Western Buddha Realm is precisely for the Saha World."
Then, Zhang Ruochen looked at the twelve stone figures standing on both sides of the hall. "Do you really have no impression of them at all?"
"No! In my sea of consciousness, there are no memories of them."
Xiu Chen Heavenly God said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Are they really not from the Stone Clan?"
"Absolutely not from the Stone Clan."
Xiu Chen Heavenly God said firmly.
"Alright, you may withdraw!"
Zhang Ruochen slid his finger, and one of the sections of the Dao Soul Platform in his hand turned. Suddenly, a powerful and unparalleled spatial gravity was released, spreading outward.
Xiu Chen Heavenly God, who had just reached the door, was pressed down by this sudden spatial gravity, her legs slightly bending, almost kneeling.
The entire Imperial Dust Palace emitted a "squeaking" sound, as if it were about to be crushed into a piece of paper.
Zhang Ruochen quickly restored the Dao Soul Platform to its original position and laughed. "The legends are true. Inside this Dao Soul Platform, there is indeed a substance similar to Blunt Void Stone, capable of unleashing an extraordinary spatial gravity."
Xiu Chen Heavenly God turned around and glared at Zhang Ruochen, but in the end, she dared not speak out in anger.
Zhang Ruochen was no longer what he used to be; she simply could not defeat him.
"Shua!"
"Shua!"
Divine light flickered as Chi Yao and Cihang Xianzi appeared in the hall, one after the other.
Their temperaments were different, but both possessed city-toppling beauty and the bearing to captivate all beings.
Zhang Ruochen got straight to the point. "If I want to take the Saha World, will Mahabrahma and the Western Buddha Realm go to war with me?"
Even though Chi Yao was accustomed to great storms, and even though Cihang Xianzi was serene and composed, subtle changes appeared on their faces at this moment, and surprise flickered in their eyes.
Chi Yao said, "Anyone who wants to take the Saha World must first destroy the Western Buddha Realm."
Cihang Xianzi, with her seventeen or eighteen-year-old pure face, quickly regained her composure. Holding the Jade Pure Vase in one hand and gracefully forming a finger seal with the other, her voice was soft and beautiful. "May I ask, Imperial Dust, why do you want to take the Saha World?"
Zhang Ruochen looked directly into her eyes. "Because of you! You once said that after the Saha World and the Paradise Realm merge, it would be equivalent to the Divine Realm World of Kasyapa Buddha reappearing in the world. Whoever among you and Pina Yejia can merge with this Divine Realm World will achieve a major leap in cultivation, laying a solid foundation for the future path of the Ancestor."
"I believe that you, as the Buddha of Ten Thousand Ages, are more qualified than Pina Yejia. You are not walking the old path of Kasyapa Buddha, but after gathering the merits and knowledge of ten thousand ages, you are forging your own Ancestor path."
"I intend to give you a push!"
Cihang Xianzi said, "As Empress Chi Yao said, taking the Saha World will inevitably be accompanied by slaughter. I am unwilling to do so."
Zhang Ruochen stared intently at the two of them, his gaze growing more resolute. "Yao Yao, do you not stand with me either?"
Chi Yao said, "I believe that Dust Brother would never act rashly like this. You must have a foolproof plan. Why not share it first?"
"Very simple! Kasyapa Buddha's Dharma body disappeared without a trace back then, and it may have transformed into the Nether Ancestor. If the Nether Ancestor is the Immortal, then he will definitely want to take the Saha World. Why don't we make the first move?"
Zhang Ruochen said.
Chi Yao said, "In the Western Buddha Realm, facing Mahabrahma, we have no chance of victory. Moreover, all the gods of the Heavenly Court will not stand idly by."
"This Emperor also disagrees. Zhang Ruochen, you are too arrogant. What difference is there between what you are doing and being a bandit?"
Xiao Hei walked in from outside. "This Emperor knows that your cultivation has greatly advanced and you have been titled Imperial Dust, but you are too inflated! As a brother in life and death, this Emperor must advise you not to act willfully. Otherwise, what difference is there between you and a tyrant?"
Zhang Ruochen laughed. "If Mahabrahma were truly a selfless and desireless sage, would I have such thoughts? I would simply let Cihang Xianzi stay in the Western Buddha Realm, with no need to seize the Saha World at all."
"I once heard the Desolate Heaven Hall Master tell stories about him. I do not have much goodwill toward this Mahabrahma. This time, I intend to seek his counsel and resolve the doubts in my heart."
Chi Yao caught the underlying meaning. "If this Mahabrahma truly has problems, then we can prepare an extra hand."
"Yao Yao, what are your thoughts?"
Zhang Ruochen said.
Chi Yao said, "We can first visit Yuan Yi Ancient Buddha! He is the great disciple of the Sixth Patriarch and the only one in the Western Buddha Realm who can restrain Mahabrahma."
"Let's do as you say."
Zhang Ruochen said.
...
Five days later, Zhang Ruochen, Chi Yao, and Cihang Xianzi appeared at the foot of Maha Mountain.
Waiting for them at the foot of the mountain was an old acquaintance.
Green Emperor "Jingxiu".
Although Jingxiu's cultivation was not high, his status was such that even Zhang Ruochen and Chi Yao had to treat him with utmost respect.
Without a doubt, Cihang Xianzi's stay in the Time Divine Temple for cultivation over the past ten thousand years, without returning to the Western Buddha Realm, had already aroused Mahabrahma's vigilance.
Sending Jingxiu to welcome them was a show of force, telling Zhang Ruochen that since he had come to the Western Buddha Realm, he must bow his head.
The dragon must coil, the tiger must crouch.